Dragons pack hats and gloves for chilly clash in Plzen | OneFootball

Besides Viktoria Plzen, FC Porto will face another challenging obstacle: the cold. For Thursday, at 18:45 (one hour less in mainland Portugal), temperatures between -4 and -11 degrees Celsius are expected in the Czech Republic, where the Porto team will try to secure qualification for the Europa League round of 16.

The players of the blue and whites will encounter conditions quite different from what they are usually accustomed to, even considering the intense cold that has marked Portugal in recent weeks – one of the most severe winters in terms of low temperatures.

In light of this scenario, the FC Porto delegation traveling to Prague this afternoon has reinforced their luggage with various accessories to minimize the discomfort of the professionals. In addition to the usual equipment, many hats, thermal neck warmers, gloves, and thermal pants have been added, as well as disposable heaters to place inside the boots – devices that, in contact with skin or fabric, oxidize and produce heat, preventing the toes from cooling and causing discomfort during the run.

The club's officials have taken precautions regarding the expected negative temperatures, ensuring that the players have all the necessary means to face an opponent that will be, above all, the intense cold.

Every detail counts in terms of the confrontation itself, and FC Porto's concerns are not limited to the low temperatures. The state of the pitch is also a matter of attention, so Francesco Farioli and his technical team did not skip the 'walk around' at the Mesta Plzne Stadium, a practical inspection to assess the real conditions of the field where the match between the Czechs and Porto will take place.

It is worth mentioning that, due to the winter break in the Czech championship, Viktoria Plzen has not played official matches since December 14, having meanwhile played some preparation games against local teams and held a training camp in Benidorm, Spain.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.